No USAID funds used for voter turnout in India, govt tells Rajya Sabha

MoS for External Affairs Kirti Vardhan Singh said the US Embassy confirmed no voter turnout projects were run in India between 2014-24

Minister of State (MoS) for External Affairs Kirti Vardhan Singh informed the Rajya Sabha on Friday that the United States Agency for International Development (USAID) did not receive or provide $21 million in funding for voter turnout in India.

 

Responding to a query from Communist Party of India (Marxist [CPI(M)] MP John Brittas, Singh said the US Embassy confirmed it had not implemented any voter turnout-related projects in India between 2014 and 2024.

MEA asked USAID to provide details

In a written response, Singh said that the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) had requested the US Embassy in New Delhi to urgently provide details of expenditure incurred on all USAID-assisted or funded projects in India over the last ten years. The ministry also asked for a list of NGOs or implementing partners through which such initiatives were executed.

 

On July 2, the US Embassy shared details of funding between 2014 and 2024, including objectives, partners, and key accomplishments.

$21 million USAID programme and issue of voter turnout

Responding to questions, Singh explained that while the United States was reviewing USAID’s operations, the US Department of Government Efficiency announced on February 16, 2025, via a post on X, that it was cancelling $486 million in USAID funding for the Consortium for Elections and Political Process Strengthening projects worldwide. This included $21 million meant for programmes to boost voter turnout in India, sparking concerns about US involvement in Indian general elections. 

 

However, no such projects were implemented in the country, Singh clarified.

Closure of USAID operations in India

The minister said the US Embassy wrote to the Department of Economic Affairs on August 11, informing that all seven Partnership Agreements signed with the government would be terminated effective August 15, 2025.

 

Singh added that USAID’s operations officially came to a halt on July 1, 2025. About 83 per cent of its programmes were shut down and 94 per cent of its staff were laid off. The US State Department has taken over the remaining activities, mostly related to foreign aid administration..

 

According to Singh, the complete closure of USAID operations is expected by September 2, 2025.